What Allstar Caliber closer? He's in Philly now. What you have now is a closer that spends time on the DL. This team is built to make the wildcard round and catch lightning in a bottle.
So there's only one closer in the game that is an all star caliber type of player?
Bailey may have some injury concerns, but the cost to obtain him was marginal. That was the point. It cost you nothing more than a platoon type of OF and prospects. Ironically, the Sox got the same type of player that Reddick is back in Ryan Sweeney, but nobody wants to acknowledge it. So truthfully, they got Bailey for nothing more than a couple of prospects. To me, that's a great deal.
FWIW, I personally thought that resigning Papelbon was more important than Big Papi, but for the cost and length Papelbon got, I have no problems with them letting him walk.
What Allstar Caliber closer? He's in Philly now. What you have now is a closer that spends time on the DL. This team is built to make the wildcard round and catch lightning in a bottle.
Applebom also has a history of shoulder problems and I wouldn't have signed him for longer than 2 years at that amount of money.
What Allstar Caliber closer? He's in Philly now. What you have now is a closer that spends time on the DL. This team is built to make the wildcard round and catch lightning in a bottle.
Oh you know the one we have now that was an All-Star already in his career in 2009 and 2010, you know the first two seasons of his career.
Yes he has injury concerns, but Papelbon got shut down because of shoulder problems, and is on the wrong side of 30. That deal the Phillies gave him has the potential to be awful.
This has been the most negative and least interesting Red Sox offseason since when John Harrington was the trustee of the Yawkey Estate. They are operating like a small market and if any of Beckett, Buchholz, or Lester goes down they could be 4th and teetering around .500.
Ortiz is starting to irk me as well. I'd walk away from that arbitration if they can and watch him be lucky to get half what he made last year. I'm still pissed off the way they handled Francona.
This has been the most negative and least interesting Red Sox offseason since when John Harrington was the trustee of the Yawkey Estate. They are operating like a small market and if any of Beckett, Buchholz, or Lester goes down they could be 4th and teetering around .500.
Ortiz is starting to irk me as well. I'd walk away from that arbitration if they can and watch him be lucky to get half what he made last year. I'm still pissed off the way they handled Francona.
Little bit of snarl from DKH. Uncharacteristic, but I like it.
Just remember what John Henry told us: Red Sox fans should have an interest in watching Liverpool do well!
This has been the most negative and least interesting Red Sox offseason since when John Harrington was the trustee of the Yawkey Estate. They are operating like a small market and if any of Beckett, Buchholz, or Lester goes down they could be 4th and teetering around .500.
Ortiz is starting to irk me as well. I'd walk away from that arbitration if they can and watch him be lucky to get half what he made last year. I'm still pissed off the way they handled Francona.
I think the Sox should walk away as well and use that money on pitching. If you don't have pitching, well...
This has been the most negative and least interesting Red Sox offseason since when John Harrington was the trustee of the Yawkey Estate. They are operating like a small market and if any of Beckett, Buchholz, or Lester goes down they could be 4th and teetering around .500.
Ortiz is starting to irk me as well. I'd walk away from that arbitration if they can and watch him be lucky to get half what he made last year. I'm still pissed off the way they handled Francona.
And it follows on the heels of the most negative and least likeable team since the Yawkey Trust as well, so it's kind of fitting, IMO.
Police spokesman Maximo Baez Aybar said Carmona was arrested in Santo Domingo outside the U.S. consulate, where he had gone to renew his visa. Carmona had played winter ball in the Dominican as he prepared to report to the Indians' training camp in Goodyear, Ariz., next month.
At this point, his future with the club is uncertain.
Aybar said Carmona's real name is apparently Roberto Hernandez Heredia and he's 31, three years older than the pitcher claimed. The Indians list Carmona's birthday as Dec. 7, 1983, in their 2011 media guide.
So there's only one closer in the game that is an all star caliber type of player?
Bailey may have some injury concerns, but the cost to obtain him was marginal. That was the point. It cost you nothing more than a platoon type of OF and prospects. Ironically, the Sox got the same type of player that Reddick is back in Ryan Sweeney, but nobody wants to acknowledge it. So truthfully, they got Bailey for nothing more than a couple of prospects. To me, that's a great deal.
FWIW, I personally thought that resigning Papelbon was more important than Big Papi, but for the cost and length Papelbon got, I have no problems with them letting him walk.
Papelbon's deal looks rather absurd when you look at what all the other closer types got this offseason. The added bonus is that the Sox the Phillies first and a supplemental pick, because the Phillies signed him before the new rules where in place. So they get Bailey, Sweeney and two picks, to replace Papelbon, Reddick and two prospects. Bailey is under team control for three years, is making set to make about a third of Papelbon's annual salary, and is younger than Papelbon. They played that perfectly.
Lowrie for Melancon was another win in my book. Melancon is under team control for 6 years, and had 20 saves last year for an awful team in Houston, while Lowrie couldn't stay on the field consistently. If health wasn't an issue, I think Lowrie could have been a potential all-star caliber SS, but constantly getting hurt really set him back. Then the Sox signed Punto to replace Lowrie, so they really didn't lose much there either.
Now they just need a reliable #4 or #5 starter (depending on how Bard transitions), and I think this offseason was a success.
Papelbon's deal looks rather absurd when you look at what all the other closer types got this offseason. The added bonus is that the Sox the Phillies first and a supplemental pick, because the Phillies signed him before the new rules where in place. So they get Bailey, Sweeney and two picks, to replace Papelbon, Reddick and two prospects. Bailey is under team control for three years, is making set to make about a third of Papelbon's annual salary, and is younger than Papelbon. They played that perfectly.
Lowrie for Melancon was another win in my book. Melancon is under team control for 6 years, and had 20 saves last year for an awful team in Houston, while Lowrie couldn't stay on the field consistently. If health wasn't an issue, I think Lowrie could have been a potential all-star caliber SS, but constantly getting hurt really set him back. Then the Sox signed Punto to replace Lowrie, so they really didn't lose much there either.
Now they just need a reliable #4 or #5 starter (depending on how Bard transitions), and I think this offseason was a success.
I can't say that I'm all that pleased with this offseason, but it hasn't been as bad as a lot of people are making it out to be acquisition-wise. I'm more unhappy with it because of the team openly crying poor and saying they can't afford to bring in any high end players, and all the extra BS that went down when the fired Francona. Overall, they had a talent laden team to start, and they've pretty much kept that in tact or replaced the guys who left, so it's hard to complain. I still have concerns about RF and SP, but those were both issues last year too, and they had enough talent elsewhere to cover up those holes for the majority of the season.
I can't say that I'm all that pleased with this offseason, but it hasn't been as bad as a lot of people are making it out to be acquisition-wise. I'm more unhappy with it because of the team openly crying poor and saying they can't afford to bring in any high end players, and all the extra BS that went down when the fired Francona.
I can't say that I'm all that pleased with this offseason, but it hasn't been as bad as a lot of people are making it out to be acquisition-wise. I'm more unhappy with it because of the team openly crying poor and saying they can't afford to bring in any high end players, and all the extra BS that went down when the fired Francona. Overall, they had a talent laden team to start, and they've pretty much kept that in tact or replaced the guys who left, so it's hard to complain. I still have concerns about RF and SP, but those were both issues last year too, and they had enough talent elsewhere to cover up those holes for the majority of the season.
I know what you mean. As far as RF goes, the Sox had one of the top offenses in the league, with the likes of JD Drew and Josh Reddick starting a majority of the games. I think that Sweeney and a right handed hitter platooning can match their production, and I think long-term Kalish is going to be better than Reddick, maybe as soon as this year. And I still think they need a starter that's not on the roster yet. So if they are done, I'll be a little disappointed, but I don't think they are done.
the new cba's luxury tax hikes are partly responsible for the red sox frugality. same with the yanks.
also, there's not really much out there. oswalt is the best available starter but there's the question of how good his back is holding up. if he were healthy, don't you think he'd be signed by now? the yankees got a good pitcher in pineda but it's not like they sent a sack of crap to the mariners, they sent a player in the top 10 on most scouting lists. the red sox don't have that.
the new cba's luxury tax hikes are partly responsible for the red sox frugality. same with the yanks.
also, there's not really much out there. oswalt is the best available starter but there's the question of how good his back is holding up. if he were healthy, don't you think he'd be signed by now? the yankees got a good pitcher in pineda but it's not like they sent a sack of crap to the mariners, they sent a player in the top 10 on most scouting lists. the red sox don't have that.
I'll be interested to see how Pineda transitions from the AL West and Safeco, to the AL East and Yankee Stadium. He should have more run support though.
pineda should be fine away from safeco, his hr/fb rate was actually lower on the road last year. his second half just looks worse because he was performing at a high level in the first half that was almost impossible to sustain.
the new cba's luxury tax hikes are partly responsible for the red sox frugality. same with the yanks.
also, there's not really much out there. oswalt is the best available starter but there's the question of how good his back is holding up. if he were healthy, don't you think he'd be signed by now? the yankees got a good pitcher in pineda but it's not like they sent a sack of crap to the mariners, they sent a player in the top 10 on most scouting lists. the red sox don't have that.
Oswalt is a guy I'd avoid at all costs. They already have too many SPs with questionable health, and overpaying and counting on an aging guy like RO is the wrong way to go, IMO.
I know what you mean. As far as RF goes, the Sox had one of the top offenses in the league, with the likes of JD Drew and Josh Reddick starting a majority of the games. I think that Sweeney and a right handed hitter platooning can match their production, and I think long-term Kalish is going to be better than Reddick, maybe as soon as this year. And I still think they need a starter that's not on the roster yet. So if they are done, I'll be a little disappointed, but I don't think they are done.
I like Kalish a lot, I just hope he's not the RF version of Jed Lowrie...
the new cba's luxury tax hikes are partly responsible for the red sox frugality. same with the yanks.
also, there's not really much out there. oswalt is the best available starter but there's the question of how good his back is holding up. if he were healthy, don't you think he'd be signed by now? the yankees got a good pitcher in pineda but it's not like they sent a sack of crap to the mariners, they sent a player in the top 10 on most scouting lists. the red sox don't have that.
I prefer to take my chances with Oswald then Cook, Silva or Padilla...
